Explosion-engine.



W. K. HOLZMUELLER. EXPLOSION ENGINE. APPLroATIoN FILED un 16. 1910.

988,344. Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

2 SHBETS-SHEBT 1.

-W. K. HOLZMUELLER.

' EXPLOSION ENGINE.

' APPLICATION PILED MAY 1e, 1910.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911.

Z SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. hasl for its object the production of an engine WALTER K. HOLZMUEJLER, 0F BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

EXPLOSION-ENGINE. i

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 4, 1911'.

Application filed May 16, 1910. Serial No. 561,522.

.To all whom it may concern:

4Be ity known that l. iirrnu K. HOLZ- arrancan, a. aubject of the Emperor ot (iermany, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie. and State ot' New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Explosion- Enginesfof which the following is a speci fica'tion.

This invention relates more, particularly to foin-stroke cycle explosion engines and ot' this type in which a greater expansion of the exploding fuel is obtained and a more thorough expulsion ot the dead gases ett'ected, thereby increasing the eliiciency of the engine.

ln the accompanying drawings consisting ot' 2 slice-ts:4 Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of an upright explosion engine embodying my ii'nproveinents. the parts being shown in the position which they occupy atthe beginning oi the suction stroke of the piston. 2, and 4 are fragmentary views similar to Fig. 1 showing di'tlercnt positions of the parts during the. operation ot' the engine. Fig. 5 a side elevation oit the working cylinder at right angles to Figs. 'it-1. Fig. (5 is a fragmentary longitudinal section, ou au enlarged scale, ot' thel connecting rod and associated parts of the engine. Fig. l' isa horizontal section in line 7-7, lig. 6. Fig. 8 is a fragmentary longitudinal section showing a modiiicd construction of the connecting rod embodying my invention. Y y l Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding Aparts throughout vthe several views.

Although my invention is applicable to horizontal as well yas vertical explosions, the sanie'is shown in the accompanying drawings as embodied in avertical engine.

A represents the upright' working cylinder of the engine which is provided at its upper or rear end with an inlet port for the fuel such as gas or gasolene and an outlet port c' for the burned fuel.` The inlet and out-let ports are controlled respectively by vinlet andA outlet Valves B, C which close outwardly and open inwardly and are provided witli upwardly projecting stems b1, c1 which are guided on the adjacent stationary part of the engine. l

' D represents the working piston which reciprocates lengthwise in the cylinder', and E the crank shaft provided with a crank e ton.

which is operatively connected with the pis- Any suitable means may be employed for opening the. exhaust or outlet valve during the exhaust stroke of the piston but closing the samelluling the suction, compression and explosion strokes of thel saine. The preierred means for effecting this operation of -arin engaging with the outer cud oi. the exhaust valve stem. a shifting rod k guided on the'cylinder and having its upperv end connectcd with the outer arm of the rock lever whilel its lower end is provided with aV roller /i which engages with said cam'g, and a spring 27 applied .to the stem of the exhaust valve and operating to hold the latter yieldinglyin its closed position.

.The opening' and closing of the inlet 'alvc may be effected Isolely by the variation in pressure within and without' the cylinder as the piston moves forward and backward 4when the engine is arrnnfifedv horizontally but when the engine is arrai'iged vertically the inlet valve is preferably closed positively at a predetermined part o't'its forward stroke bv means )rcierablviconi )risinfy an incline' nf y F or cani J arranged at. Athe front end of the piston. an elbow lever K pivotcd on the cylinder' and provided on its inner arm with a roller 7.' which is adapted to bc engaged by the cam .T for turning the elbow lever K, a rock lever M pivoted on the cylinder and with its inner arm against. a nutor shoulder m on the stom of the inlet valve. a connecting rod N com'icctintl the'outer arms of the rock lever M and elbow lever K and constructed in sections which are adjustably connected by a right and let't threaded slccvc'a and a spring. The inlet valve may be yieldingly held in its closed position by means ot a spring M1 which is preferably applied to thc rod N and bears at one end against a shoulder 'm1 on the rod and at its other end against a bracket en on the cylinder in which the rod N is guided.

The connection between the piston and crank oi the crank shaft is soconstructed as to causefthe piston to move with a oomporati'vely short stroke While drawing the fuel-)into the ycylinder `and also While compressing the samel but to cause the piston to The means. for this pur ose shown-in Figs. 1--7 are constructed `as ollows: 0, .01` y,representv the front and rear sections of a divided pitman or connect- :ing rod whereby the piston, and crank are connected; .said sections being slidable relatively to each other and' connected respectivelywithjthe crankshaft and piston. The

'front sectionfo 1s preferably constructed in the form off-a tube or cylinder and is piv-v otally connected at itsfront` end with the crank of the crank shaft. The krear section l o1 is pivotally connected [at its rear end with the piston While its front end slides length- Wise in the rear endf'wf the tubular front section vo. `-i.

Q represents a bull'er, head or collar arranged on the rear end of the front pitinan section and R a similar `louder head or collar arranged on -the' rear. pitman section in rear of thevront butter head Q. 7 On its opposite sides the front buffer head is provided with laterally projecting buffer ears Q, Q and the rear bufer head is' similarly-provided on its opposite sides with laterally Yprojecting buffer vears r, fr arranged 'in line with the ears Q, Q.

r1, r1 represent a pair of draft rods arranged lengthwise on opposite sides of the pitman sections and connected at their rear ends with the ears r, r While their front parte slide through th'e ears' Q, Q and are provided in front of the latter with buffer collars s, s.

On .the front side of the rear buffer headthe'same is provided with an annular rib r2 Which .is adapted to engage with an annular cushion Q1` of leather or similar material seated in correspondingly shaped groove on the rear side of the 'front buffer head. ,Each of the bufer ears Q is provided on its 'front side with a forward projection Q2 which is adapted to engage with a cushion s1 of leather or similar material seated in a pocket on the rear side of the corresponding buffer collar s.

t, t represent two expansionA springs each surrounding one of the draftrods between the respective front and rear buffer ears and preferably seated at its front end in a pocket t1 in the front buii'er ear.

The operation of the parts of the engine thus far described is as :follows: In Fig. l the parts are represented in the position which they occupy at thebeginning of the suction stroke of the Working piston, in which position the piston is arranged in. its rearinost position, 'the crank of the crank shaft arranged in its rearmost position and nearest the cylinder, the pitmzin sections are drawn apart, the trout butter head and ears are out of engagement with the rear buer `"shead and rfront collars and the expansion springs t are compressed between the-rear and front buffer ears. As the crank turns forwardly to its foremost position the same irst moves idly together with the front pitmajn section independently ofthe piston and rear pit'man section u-ntil` thefront buffer 'ears Q7 Q have engaged withv the bu'er collars s, s after which the piston'and rear pit'-v man section are compelled' to move With the crank and front pitman section to the end of the forward movement of the crank, as shown in Eig. 2. During this movement of the piston the fuel valve is opened and admits a 'charge olf-fuel into the cylinder. During the first part of the subsequent backward movement of the crank the' same together -With the front pitman section moves independently of the rear pitman section and.

piston until the front buffer head engages move together to the end of .the rearward thereby lea-ving a clear space in the rear end ot' the cylinder in which the charge of `fuel compressed. While the pi'tman sections are thus moved upon each other the pitman is shortened and the springs t, t are coinpressed. Upon now igniting the charge of compressed fuel by any suitable means the pressure of the exploding gases in the cylining stroke together with the front and rear pitinan sections and crank to the end or' the Jlorward stroke, as shown in Fig. e.. During die subsequent backward stroke ot' the piston, the exhaust valve is opened to permit the products of combustion to escape a nd at this time the piston, front and rear pitinan sections and crank move in unison to the end of the rearward stroke of the piston, to the position shown in Fig. 3.,'thereby expelling the main part of the spent gases. vWhen, however, the crank at vthis time reaches the end oit its backward movcn'ient the piston and rear pitman section continue their rearward movement under the action of the springs t, t untiltbe piston reaches the rear cnd of the cylinder, as shown inv Fig. l, thereby lengthening theg''itnian section-and causing the piston to expel the remainder of the burned gases and entirely clear `the cylinder of burned gas preparatory to drawing in a fresh charge of vfuel during the next 'forward stroke of the piston. The piston prevented from striking the rear end ot' the cylinder during the exhaust stroke by properly proportioning the tension of the sprinufz t, so 'that they only continue to move t Je piston rearwardly beyond the rearward throw of the crank to cause the piston to stop short of the rear end of the cylinder. lVhen the pitman sectionsare pushed' together the fullest lextent undue jarring at Athe rear buffer head after which these parts.

stroke of rthe crank, as shown in lfig. 23.-

der drives the piston forward With a workthe end of this movement is avoided by engagement of the rib on the rea bulter head with the cushion on the 'front laitier head and when the pitinan sections are drawn apart the fullest extent undue 'jarring is prevented by engagement of the front buffer ears with the cushions on the butler collars.

lVhen the machine is arranged horizontally the piston owing to the frictional contact between the same and the cylinder, will remain at rest until the front biilt'er'ear:- engage with the lou'tier collars after which the piston moves` with the crank to the end of its forward stroke. But when the engine is working in an upright position the piston owing to its weight would. iu the absence of any provision to prevent it, be liable to drop by gravity and follow the crank in its forward .stroke an undue extent and thus draw into the c innder an excess charge ot' fuel.` This, however,4` is prevented by engagement of the eamJ with the roller of the lever K and closing of the inlet valve when the piston has moved forward sulli cientto draw into thecylinder the proper charge of fuel. as shown in Fig. 2, thereby arresting Athe further forward movement of the piston under the act-ion of gravity owiiig to the tendency to produce a vacuuui in the cylinder and preventing the same from following the crank at this time :to the end of its forward stroke.

Sudden pulling apart. and pushing together of the pitman sections is retarded or prevented so as to cause the machine to operate with no perceptil'ile noise or pounding. This preferably effected by utilizing the tubular front pitman section as the cylinder and the rear pitinau section as the piston of a dash pot or air cushion. Ou the periphery of the front end of the rear connecting rod section the saine is provided with one or more packing rings M which produce a tight joint between the coperating ends of the front and rear connecting rod sections the same as commonly done he-. tween the working cylinder and-piston of a gas engine. At the lover or trout end- 'the-air cylinder within the front pi'tman section. is provided with a main air inlet port/l.' which is controlled by an outwardly closing check valve o1 and in real-'of the main port 'a the front pitman section ia provided with an auxiliary air inlet port in which is controlled bv an outwariilly closing check valve icl. Each of the inlet check valves "v1, v01 is yieldiugly held 1n its closed position by a spring ,ij-bearlng against an adjustable .screw nut y1 on thestein of cach of these valves.

ln line with the auxiliary inlet check valve ci' nearly .so the front pitnian section is provided with an air outlet port which is controlled by. an outwardly opening check valve a* which is yeldingly held in its closed position by a Spring z. Upon pushing the Jnitinan .sections together the air escapes freely through the port and thc sections move easily until the rear pitinan sei-tion covers the port after which the air trapped in the' front end of the front pitman' section offers a greater resistance to the collapsing movement of the pitman Sections and causes the end of this movement to be etl'ccted slowly and quietly7 When the real' `nitinan section is pulled out of the front pitman section during the last part ofthe exhaust stroke ot' the piston by the springs t,-the main air inlet port if is uncovered and considerable resistance is: offered to the separation of the pitman sections, so that the piston will not strike hard against the rear end of the cylinder. But when the pitman sections are separated l'ully (hiring the last part of the suction stroke of the piston the auxiliary iiir inlet port w is also uncovered, so that air can enter through both ports 1' and on and thusl reduce the resistance and permit. the pitmaii scil` tions to separate freely and prevent the crank fromdragging the pistou along to the end of the suction stroke ot the crank, It will thus be noted that in the operation of this engine va charge of fuel is drawn into the same which only partially fills the cylinder but that. this charge when ignited is permitted to expand approximately' twice asniueh as the volume of the charge, there! by developing a greater amount of power from a given quantity of fuel. Further-l more, all the burned products are completely removed from the cylinder zitter each cxplosion, thereby avoiding contai'niuation of the new charge of fuel and enabling the maximum' power to be derived from the fuel.

In the modified construction shown in Fig. 8, the separation ot' the pitinan sections is aided by a springl l surrounding the rear. pitman section and bearing at its opposite' ends against the front and rear butter headsI while the separation is limited by a trans-- verse pin TF secured to the real; pitznan sec tion and adapted to engage with thercar ends of slots T2 in the front pitman section.

In this construction the auxiliary inlet port w and check valve uf are omitted.

I claim as my invention:

l.l An explosion engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a shaft haaiF ing a crank, a pitman having sections connected respectively with the cylinder and. crank, one of said sections having the form of a retarding cylinder and the other the form of a piston .fitting into said retardin'g cylinder, and meansY for controlling the admission and escape of the air from the closed end of said retarding cylinder.

2. An explosion engine comprising a Cy l inler, lapiston in the cylinder, a shaft hav, ing a crank, a pitman having sections' conriected respectively with the cylinder and crank one of said sections having the form vof a retirding cylinder and 'the other'the form of a piston fitting into said retarding front end ott said retarding cylinder andan ,air outletcheck valve arranged on the retalrding cylinder in rear of the air inlet l check valve.

3. An explosion engine comprising a cylinder, a piston in the cylinder, a shaft haw llng a crank, a pit-man having sections connected respectively with vthe cylinder .an-d' crank, one o; said sections having the form oit' a rctarding cylinder and the other the forni Vof a piston fitting into said-retarding cylinder, and means for controlling the admission and esca-pe of the air from the closed end of. said retnrding cylinder comprising a main air inlet check valve arranged at the Airont end of said retarding cylinder, an aux-- iliary air inlet check valve connected with the retarding cylinder in rear of the main air inlet check-valve, and an air outlet check valve `connected with the retarding cylinder in rear o the main air inlet check valve.

4. An explosion engine comprising a work! ing cylinder, a- Worliing piston in the cylinder, a shaft having a crank, a` pitinan having' a front cylinder section pivoted on the crank,

and a piston section pivot-ed on the working.

piston'and sliding lengthwise in the cylinder section, front and rear buffer headsarranged on the cylinder and piston `sections, respectivelyrof the pitinai and each providedwith laterally projecting bui'er ears, and draft rods arranged lengthwise of the'pitnian sections 'and each connected at one end with an car of one section and-provided with a collar adapted to bear against an ear ofthe other section.

An explosion `engine comprising a-working cylirnler7 a working piston in the cylinder, a shaft having a crank, a pitma-n having a trent cylinder section pivoted on the crank und a piston section pivoted on the working p "ton and sliding lengthwise 1n the lcylinder section, front and rear bnyiier heads arranged on the cylinder and piston sections, respec-l tively, o the pitman and each provided with i laterally projecting buffer ears, draft rods arranged lengthwise of the pitman'sections and each connected at one end with an ear of one section and provided with a collar adapted to bear against an ear of the other sec tion, and a spring interposed between the pitman sections.

A G'. An explosion engine comprising a working cylinder,'a working piston in the cylinder, a shaft having'a crank, a pitman having a front cylinder sectonpivoted on the crank, anda piston section pivoted on the working .gisten and slidin lenofthwise in the cylindery l e section, front an rear. buffer hea-ds arrange on the cylinder andpiston sections respec-v tively of the pitman and each provided ,with

laterally projecting buler ears, draft rods arranged lengthwise of the pitnian sections 'and each connected at one end with anear on the piston section and sliding through-an V ear on the cylinder section and provided in front of' the last mentioned ear with a bni'er collargand springs each surrounding a draft rod .between the corresponding buffer ears of the pit-man sections.

l 7. An explosion engine comprising a working cylinder', a working piston in the-cylinder, a shaft'having a crank, a pitman havingl a front cylinder 'section pivoted on the' crank, and a piston section pivoted on'the Working piston and sliding lengthwise in the cylinder section, front and rear buffer heads arranged on the cylinder and piston sections respectively of the pitman and each provided with laterally projecting bui'er ears, and draft rods arranged lengthwise of the pitlnan sections and each connected at one end with a-n ear of one section and provided with a collar adapted to bear aga-inst an ear of the other `sec-,tion comprising a cam on the piston, .a 'rocli lever adapted to be shifted by said cam,

a. rock lever connected with, the -inlet valve, and a connection between said rock levers.

Witness my hand this 10th day of May, 191,0.

VALTER K. HOLZMUELLER. Witnesses Trino. L., Pore,

ANNA Hnleis. 

